Tour a Virginia couple's $450,000 dream kitchen

When the Tomassos moved into their Herndon, Va., home in 1998, Tiffany saw a sumptuous Tuscan-themed space rich in style and in storage space and Dave wanted a built-in pizza oven. Both got what they wanted. Tour their $450,000 kitchen. Gretchen Ortega

Industry statistics show the average kitchen makeover project runs from $10,000 to $35,000. High-end remodeling projects can push past the $100,000 mark.

So what to make of the staggering $450,000 Dave and Tiffany Tomasso spent creating their dream kitchen? For that type of dough, it had better be spectacular—and it is.

When the Tomassos moved into their Herndon, Va., home in 1998, each had a vision for the kitchen. Tiffany saw a sumptuous Tuscan-themed space rich in style and in storage space. Dave's desires were more practical: a built-in pizza oven where he could prepare his favorite dish for family and friends.

Dave Tomasso prepares pizza, his favorite dish, in a stylish and spacious kitchen that is the centerpiece of his Herndon, Va., home.(Photo: Gretchen Ortega)

"A kitchen is where the home is," says Dave. "Both of us are from big Italian families. That's how we were brought up. Some of your best conversations with your kids will be in the kitchen."Both see the area as a centerpiece of not just the house, but of their lives.

The Tomassos took USA TODAY's HOME magazine on a tour of their fantastic over-the-top kitchen.

Pizza oven

The Castle brand pizza oven is the hottest item in the kitchen (up to 700 degrees hot). It stands proudly inside a simple but elegant cast stone vault in one corner of the large kitchen, which includes the addition of the area for the pizza oven and dinner table (24 feet x 14 1/2 feet). The cooking area is 24 feet x 15 1/2 feet. "We love good pizza," says Dave, whose secret ingredient is the New Jersey tomatoes he uses in his homemade sauce. Custom-designed wrought-iron doors hide the oven when not in use.

Travertine floor tile in colors of gold, cream and taupe is laid in a Versaille pattern that uses the tiles in varied sizes. The floor is heated electrically and is tied to a thermostat that the family sets.

COST: $11,400

Oven & oven hood

A six-burner gas stove and double oven (with a built-in griddle) make up the centerpiece of food preparation at Casa Tomasso. There is also a grandiose, custom-made cast stone hood with huge decorative corbels that coordinate with other accents around the kitchen. An iron "T" for Tomasso hangs on the diagonal tile backsplash.

COST: Viking six-burner with grill, griddle and two ovens, $11,358

Baking station

Fourteen-year-old Morgan Tomasso loves to bake cookies and cakes so much that her parents designed a baking station in the kitchen just for her. The kid-friendly space includes its own pantry area, a lower-than-usual counter and a mixer and mixing bowl that pop up from under the counter when a lever is released.

COST: Included in overall renovation cost

Two Thermador brand refrigerator/freezers are needed to supply the Tomasso's kitchen.(Photo: Gretchen Ortega)

Refrigerators/freezers

Not one, but two massive Thermador brand refrigerator/freezers are needed as a supply cache for Dave, Tiffany and their two teen daughters. The fridges also come in handy when the family hosts 20 or so guests each Christmas season. Two more smaller freezers are built into the kitchen cabinetry.

"When I was growing up, we had a window seat in our family room and I loved curling up there with a book," Tiffany says. So when it came time to redesigning her kitchen, she had a long window seat added at the rear of the kitchen with a beautiful view of the backyard and woods beyond. Underneath the seat are six cleverly concealed drawers that add to the room's storage capability.

Between a large family and lots of friends, the Tomassos love to entertain. So when it came to choosing a kitchen table, Dave knew they needed something special. He ordered a 700-pound wooden behemoth from Provence, France. The table comfortably seats 12 and is so massive the family had to reinforce the floor before the table was installed.

COST: Prieure Table by The Provence Collection, $15,645

Coffee bar

Ever wondered what to do with that odd-shaped space under the stairwell? The Tomassos have a solution. Try a built-in coffee bar with Tassimo coffeemaker, all the java accoutrements you could ever want, plus a sink and plenty of room for cereals, breakfast bars and other morning items. The ice maker is hidden behind a cabinet door.

COST: Included in overall renovation cost

This article was excerpted from USA TODAY's Home magazine, available now on newsstands or through USA TODAY's online store. The special magazine features articles on home improvement, décor and entertaining.